Association between Albuminuria, Glycated Hemoglobin with Comorbidities in Type 2 Diabetes Patients: Experience in Sulaimani City, Iraq

Abstract

Background: Diabetes nephropathy is one of the most important complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Albuminuria is an early clinical indicator for investigating diabetes nephropathy. Age, poor glycemic control, long duration of diabetes, and hypertension increase the risk of albuminuria. Objectives: To determine the relationship between albuminuria, HbA1c, and comorbidities in elderly patients with T2DM. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 136 elderly patients with T2DM at the Diabetes and Endocrine Center in Sulaimani City. Data was obtained from each patient through face-to-face interviews and laboratory tests for HbA1c, serum lipid profiles, and albumin levels in the urine. Results: Out of 136 patients, 82 elderly patients with T2DM were normoalbuminuric, 37 had microalbuminuria, and 17 had macroalbuminuria, respectively. The female gender was at greater risk of developing albuminuria (19.1% microalbuminuria and 6.6% macroalbuminuria) than the male gender (8% microalbuminuria and 5.8% macroalbuminuria). The risk factors for microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria were poor glycemic control (HBA1c >7.5) (16.9% microalbuminuria and 6.6% macroalbuminuria), long-term diabetes (5–10 years) (13.9% microalbuminuria and 5.1% macroalbuminuria), and coexisting comorbidity conditions (21.3%) microalbuminuria and 10.2% macroalbuminuria, mainly hypertension (20.5% microalbuminuria and 8.8% macroalbuminuria). Conclusion: Our findings showed that the incidence of albuminuria in elderly patients with T2DM was high in patients with poor diabetes control, a long duration of diabetes, and comorbidity conditions, particularly in patients with hypertension.